Anti-corruption activist bounces back in Parly

MDC ALLIANCE’s MP-elect Willias Madzimure has vowed to intensify his the anti-corruption campaign which raised his political ante before he was fired from Parliament in 2015.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

Willias Madzimure

Madzimure told NewsDay yesterday that he would revive the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) and ensure that all legislators in the Ninth Parliament declare their assets as soon as they are sworn-in.

“Fighting corruption is my passion and I am going to continue pursuing it to the extent that as soon as we are sworn-in as MPs, I will move a motion that all incoming legislators must declare their assets because most MPs, especially from Zanu PF, bought their way into the Ninth Parliament,” he said.

“I am not going to name anyone at the moment, but we have people coming into Parliament that have vast land and wealth which was acquired through dubious means and I know that some of them will be ashamed to even declare their assets,” he said.

Madzimure said as an anti-corruption activist it would be important for Parliament to ensure that the new legislators sign the code of conduct which was crafted by the outgoing Eighth Parliament because it has sufficient measures to ensure MPs will be deterred from engaging in corruption.

He said APNAC had become dormant and as its former chairperson, he was going to revive it so that the incoming MPs can take a strong stance against corruption. Madzimure said the incoming MDC Alliance MPs were a very strong team and he was confident that Parliament’s oversight role over the Executive will be strengthened.

“There is need for the Ninth Parliament to ensure that there are efficient committee systems. Previously, legislators would produce very good reports, but there were no responses from members of the Executive, or implementation of the recommendations by MPs.

“One of my motions will be to make sure that the Executive is taken into account and that it implement the recommendations by Parliament so that its oversight role is upheld,” he said.

Madzimure said when he left Parliament in 2015, APNAC became weakened and there was no annual general meeting held to ensure there was a handover and takeover with the person who had taken over its leadership, James Maridadi, and to ensure he was formally introduced at continental level.

He said he also had big plans as a representative of the people in Kambuzuma, where he promised that he would participate effectively in Parliament to ensure whatever laws are crafted in Parliament are for the benefit of the people.

“There are several issues that need to be tackled in Kambuzuma including protecting wetlands. Using the constituency development fund there is also need to develop schools to ensure that there are laboratories for science education, as well as modernisation of libraries so that they have Internet and Wifi,” Madzimure said.

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